When commuting in the city, i encounter many transitions between road and sidewalk. It's easy to jump from the sidewalk down to the road (~20 cm vertical) if you have enough speed, but to get back onto the sidewalk, i always brake, losing energy.

I tried doing a bunny-hop or the like to jump from the road to the sidewalk (seems easiest when approaching perpendicularly to the curb), but i never got proficient enough to attempt that at high speed (had a crash, breaking an unimportant part of my bike, so decided to stop trying).

Is it possible/worthwhile to learn the jumping technique and become good enough to do it all the time, without having to slow down, without the fear of a crash?

9 Answers
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As to "tricks", one man's "trick" is another man's "ho-umm" -- it depends on your level of skill and physical conditioning. Certainly, hopping a moderate height curb is within the realm of possible (I used to do it on occasion, before I became old and crotchety), but doing so at relatively high speed is non-trivial.

But "tricks during commuting" is concerning -- while you're welcome to be as daring (or foolish) as you want to be when you're safely by yourself and not a hazard to others, when any bicycle, pedestrian, or vehicle traffic is nearby (or potentially nearby but unseen) it's incumbent on you to behave in a manner that does not put others at risk (or serious inconvenience).

Is it conceivable that you could practice this and be proficient enough that you would rarely crash, if ever, when bunnyhopping up a curb? Absolutely! I'm sure Danny Mcaskill could do this all day long.

In my experience, however, I have a hard time bunnyhopping a road bike, especially with the seat positioned 'properly.' With legs near full extension, I find it extremely difficult; by contrast I can easily bunnyhop my BMX or mountain bike 2 feet consistently without issue. If you want to do more stunt-oriented riding, perhaps take a look at your frame size/tire volume/seat height configuration, and consider a different bicycle if they can't be adjusted for this type of riding.

Part of your question has to do with speed; and if you have the technique down, speed just makes it easier. The faster you are going, the less you'll have to get your timing perfect; you'll be above the curb for longer. (Just don't be late). If you are a bit early, you may dent your rear rim, but it probably won't make you crash. Once you have the technique, your confidence should grow with it.

Then again, I do wheelies, stoppies, and sit on my motorcycle's tank in traffic and frequently pass 100MPH on public roads. If you're not willing to take the risk, then don't. If you are; practice.

I'm not a lawyer, I'm certainly not your lawyer and I don't know the laws in your city. That said, my advice is that you shouldn't try to hop on the curb/sidewalk at high speed. In my city there is an ordinance against riding recklessly on sidewalks. Whether or not "doing tricks" while commuting is actually reckless, I believe that a police officer could plausibly cite you if your city has a similar ordinance. If that happened, you would, at the minimum, waste a day of your time in court (and possibly pay a fine if you can't convince the judge that you were riding responsibly). So, from a purely legal perspective, it seems like a bad risk.

Curb hopping also seems like a bad idea from a safety standpoint. There's always a chance you could miss and crash, hurting yourself and others. Also, pedestrians aren't always visible from the road, so you risk running over someone when you ride fast onto the sidewalk. Additionally, most automobile drivers don't watch the sidewalk and are not expecting a bicycle to transition to the road at 15 to 20 mph, so you risk colliding with an auto. One of the most common types of collisions is where a motorist makes a right-turn into a cyclist who is riding through a crosswalk or across a driveway.

Most state's vehicle codes allow bicycles to use the roadway in a similar manner as if you were driving a (slow) farm implement. Doing so is probably the safest way to ride for you and those around you. Remember to stop at red lights and obey the speed limit (probably not a problem unless you have a nice long, steep hill with good pavement). If your jurisdiction allows cycles to "take the lane," don't be afraid to use it when appropriate[1]: it's safer for everyone when drivers don't try to squeeze through a substandard lane without changing lanes.

[1] Where I live, for example, cyclists can take the lane when it is less than a certain width and where there is no designated bike lane. There are certain stipulations, however, like pulling over to let cars pass when there is only one lane and more than a certain number are following.

The answer is yes - it is possible and worthwhile to be able to jump curbs.

My reasons are: As a daily commuter we are often called upon (or forced) to do emergency maneuvers. If one has never planned for these things then crashing is your (forced) option. However if you are able to avoid the accident by having a skill you know you have - you may have just saved your own life.

My other reason is this - daily commuting means taking the same road day in, day out. You know every cm of that road to work or school. The commute may become a chore and with that comes carelessness. If you use those bike trips to potentially improve your biking skill - the daily commute is a daily challenge.

Nothing is ever 100%, especially when talking about moving objects surrounded by elements that are not completely under your control. Is that a small pebble at exactly the wrong spot causing your bead to be pushed in just enough that you get a blowout when you are expecting instead a nice grippy tire landing? Ouch, it was a one in a million but now the pedestrians you just buzzed on the sidewalk are watching your body slide across the road leaving bits of clothing and the top layer (or two) of flesh as a sacrifice to the road.

Oh, but you can probably get good enough to feel confident to do these at speed. Be careful of those around you and be willing to sacrifice a bit of blood/sweat/tears every so often.
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Ken HiattAug 23 '12 at 18:34

I rode BMX professionally (1998 x-games) but my specialty was "Street" as in jumping curbs, sliding rails, wall rides, something like you want to do. My favorite place to ride is in San Francisco. It has so much to ride and lots and lots of curb cuts dropping down into the streets. Not one day of riding ever goes by where I felt that I was 100% safe. I come from the school of thought that stronger parts were more valuable than lighter parts and still ride the strongest (heaviest) bike of anyone I know. Even with the strongest bike around parts fail, tires blow, bolts strip, cables snap.

The fear of crashing makes you not do stupid things, that is nature keeping you alive. Mat Hoffman (arguably the most influential BMX rider EVER) has had more injuries than any other rider (you can get The birth of Big Air a documentary about Mat by ESPN on Netflix). Crashing is a part of the sport, the price you pay for the games you play.

About the only thing you can do is work your way from smaller curbs to bigger ones and just get used to how your bike handles in the air and on impact. The next most important thing is learn how to crash. Learn how to roll out of a wreck without getting hurt, parkour can help. Here is a video of me wrecking a backflip and walking away no problem.